YOUR NEXT SPEECH, MR. PRESIDENT

Yet another poll, this one from Gallup, shows that there's considerable support for letting Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy expire:

A majority of Americans favor letting the tax cuts enacted during the Bush administration expire for the wealthy. While 37% support keeping the tax cuts for all Americans, 44% want them extended only for those making less than $250,000 and 15% think they should expire for all taxpayers.

And yet:

Sen. Ben Nelson (Neb.), a centrist who has been a key vote on several Obama administration initiatives, said Thursday he supports extending all of the George W. Bush-era tax cuts until the economic recovery has taken root. Raising taxes on wealthier taxpayers could hurt the economy, he said.

"I support extending all of the expiring tax cuts until Nebraska's and the nation's economy is in better shape, and perhaps longer, because raising taxes in a weak economy could impair recovery," Nelson said in a statement Thursday.

Um, Mr. President? I know you impressed a lot of people earlier this week for taking on John Boehner in a speech in his home state. Do you want to persuade me that you're really serious about your economic ideas?

Deliver your next speech in Nebraska.

I really can't imagine you doing that. But if you did, I'd be quite impressed. And given Nelson's attitude, it's hard to see what the hell you have to lose.